International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences
May 2013, Vol. 3, No. 5
ISSN: 2222-6990
The Relationship between McGregor's X-Y Theory
Management Style and Fulfillment of Psychological
Contract: A Literature Review.
Ramesh Kumar Moona Haji Mohamed
PhD candidate, School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
Email: rameshk@utar.edu.my
Dr Che Supian Mohamad Nor
School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
Email: supian@usm.my
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to trace McGregor’s X-Y theory and its relationship with fulfillment
of psychological contract. This is a review article relying on literature reviews and synthesizing
concepts and ideas from related sources. McGregor’s X-Y theory is a natural rule for managing
people. McGregor’s ideas suggest that there are two fundamental approaches to managing
people. Theory X management style generally get poor results compare with managers use
theory Y, which produces better performance and results, and allows people to grow and
develop. This paper argues that Theory Y managers are the effective leaders who could fulfill
the psychological contract of employees. Therefore, psychological contract fulfillment is closely
related to theory Y management’s style. Furthermore a modern idea of management style; the
autocratic style of management is closely related to traditional McGregor’s theory X and the
democratic is related to Theory Y management style. This area of study is suggested for future
research.
Keywords: Theory X, Theory Y, Management Style, Psychological Contract, Psychological
Contract fulfillment.
1.0 Introduction
Generally, the study of Psychological interaction between the management of an organization
and the subordinate employees are very wide. Before considering distribution of works, an
organization must decide from the outset how to deal with employees. In order to lead to
improved performance for the company and possibly to improved employee relations, a strong
understanding of the relationship should be practiced. Thus, numerous theories have been
designed related to the psychological interaction between the management of an organization
and the subordinate employees. Theory X and Y which deals with the motivational factors that
influence employee behavior was one of the theories. Since Theory X and Y dealing with a
complete system of interaction, similar to how a physical model simulates the behavior of a
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International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences
May 2013, Vol. 3, No. 5
ISSN: 2222-6990
physical system, Theory X and Y considered as ‘models’. Douglas McGregor is the one who
constructed Theory X and Y in the 1960s.
Theory X and Y created by McGregor has been a valid basic principle from which to develop
positive management style and techniques. McGregor's ideas suggest that there are two
fundamental approaches to managing people. Several managers influenced by theory x, and
generally get poor results. On the other hand, liberal managers use theory y, which produces
better performance and results, and allows people to grow and develop.
Moreover, McGregor’s concept relatively relate to modern understanding of the Psychological
Contract, which provides several ways to appreciate the unhelpful nature of X-Theory
leadership, and the useful constructive beneficial nature of Y-Theory leadership. The aim of this
research is to review and synthesizing concepts and ideas from related sources relying on
literature reviews to argue that there is a relationship between Theory X, Theory Y
management style with fulfillment of Psychological Contract.
2.0 Literature review
Theory X and Theory Y was an idea devised by Douglas McGregor in his book “The Human Side
of Enterprise” 1960. It encapsulated a fundamental distinction between management styles
and has formed the basis for much subsequent writing on the subject.
2.1 Theory X
In the first few decades of the 20th century Theory X is the style that predominated in business
after the mechanistic system of scientific management had swept everything away. Theory X is
an authoritarian style where the emphasis is on “productivity, on the concept of a fair day's
work, on the evils of feather-bedding and restriction of output, on rewards for performance
(Tim Hindle 2003). Latterly Theory X has been considered as a negative way of dealing with
employees. In this theory its assume that employees are, by nature, reluctant to fulfill the
obligations of their job and instead will find ways to avoid work or otherwise reduce their work
output in a bid to expend the least amount of effort possible. When there is more motivated
management staff and owners urge the employees into making them work, the company will
be successful and have productive employees as conceived by Theory X. In order to detect
attempts by the staff to avoid work it is demanded a strict control and monitoring of behavior.
The authority must keep a careful eye out for sabotaging effects by self-interested employees
and find the cause of disruptions, handing out penalties in the belief that a sincere wish to
avoid responsibility is the root cause for the majority of trouble.
2.2 Theory Y
Theory Y is a participative style of management which “assumes that people will exercise selfdirection and self-control in the achievement of organizational objectives to the degree that
they are committed to those objectives”. It is management's main task in such a system to
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International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences
May 2013, Vol. 3, No. 5
ISSN: 2222-6990
maximize that commitment (Tim Hindle 2003). In many ways, Theory Y is, the diverse to that of
Theory X. Rather than taking the view that employees must be forced to do what management
want and that they will not, under any circumstances, do anything beneficial for the company
under their own direction, Theory Y states that employees actually become more productive
when more trust and responsibility is delegated to them. According to Theory Y, employees do
wish to work and be productive and the act of doing well at work is itself a strong motivator.
Moreover if the employee’s will seek responsibility and ways to be productive, if they are
allowed to do so. Regarding to Charles M. Carson, (2005), McGregor theory Y stands in a unique
place in management history and advocated a heightened awareness of management's
responsibility for the human side of employer-employee relations.
In a nutshell, according to McGregor: “Man is a wanting animal and as soon as one of his needs
is satisfied, another appears in its place. McGregor urged companies to adopt Theory Y. Only it,
he believed, could motivate human beings to the highest levels of achievement. Theory X
merely satisfied their lower-level physical needs and could not hope to be as productive.
2.3 Psychological Contract Fulfillment
The employment relationship has undergone a number of significant changes in recent years. In
large part, this transformation has been brought about by the increasing globalization of
business, by the dramatic rise in the number of mergers, restructurings, and layoffs, and by the
increasing rate of change that permeates all of organizational life today (Kissler, 1994; McLean
Parks & Kidder, 1994). As a result of these events, psychological contracts have become
increasingly important in helping to define the contemporary employment relationship.
Psychological contracts consist of the beliefs employees hold regarding the terms and
conditions of the exchange agreement between themselves and their organizations (Robinson,
Kraatz & Rousseau, 1994; Rousseau, 1989). Particularly, psychological contracts are comprised
of the obligations that employees believe their organization owes them and the obligations the
employees believe they owe their organization in return. Psychological contract breach arises
when an employee perceives that his or her organization has failed to fulfill one or more of the
obligations comprising the psychological contract (Morrison & Robinson, 1997; Robinson,
1996).
Recent research has investigated that psychological contract breach has cause negative
consequences of (or violation) on employee attitudes and behaviors (e.g., Robinson, 1996;
Robinson & Morrison, 1995a; Robinson & Rousseau, 1994; Turnley & Feldman, 1999a). This
literature suggests that psychological contract breach results in a wide array of negative
outcomes, including reduced job satisfaction, reduced trust in the organization, increased
cynicism about organizational life in general, and increased intent to quit.
Thus, it is important to determine whether psychological contract fulfillment is related to
management style. The goal of this research is to focus on the relationship between
psychological contract fulfillment and management style of organization. In specific, this study
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International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences
May 2013, Vol. 3, No. 5
ISSN: 2222-6990
is to review and synthesizing concepts and ideas from related sources relying on literature
reviews to argue that there is a relationship between Theory Y management style with
fulfillment of Psychological Contract.
3.0 Discussion
Based from the literature review, Douglas McGregor proposed, in 1960, 2 types of managers.
Generally the ‘Theory X’ perceptions are that the employees lazy and need to be closely
monitored and comprehensive control systems are needed. On the other hand, ‘Theory Y’
managers are opposite where they assumes employees are ambitious, enjoy work and are
more productive if given the freedom to shine. This shows that the managers who use ‘Theory
Y’ are positive people while manager who uses ‘Theory X’ are negative people.
Chris Argyris was also introduced the Psychological Contract 1960. In 1989, Denise Rousseau
defined the Psychological Contract as, “the beliefs individuals hold regarding the terms and
conditions of the exchange agreement between themselves and their organizations”. In other
words, what they believe they owe the organisation and what the organisation owes them.
The Psychological Contract only really came back to prominence in the 1990s as a result of the
economic downturn which led to mergers, restructures and down-sizing while before that it
was kept a low profile during the 70’s and 80’s. The only changes that followed is in how staff
viewed and felt towards their employers. Inge Van den Brande, said that the Psychological
Contract helped describe those changes, and therefore its profile was raised.
As we find ourselves in the next economic downturn on from the one in the 1990s, it is worth
reflecting on both these models. From an organisational perspective, are they Theory X or
Theory Y manager (or member of staff)? Will the organisation need to adapt their preferred
Theory as the financial crisis bites, and if so, how will they handle this? And will they need to
amend their Psychological Contract with their organisation or their staff? The most important is
whether theory X managers helps to fulfill the psychological contract or Theory Y managers of
their employees.
Furthermore, a modern idea of management style from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
categorized management style into two main contrasting styles, autocratic and
permissive. Additionally, ManagerialSkills.org also categorized management styles divided in
the main categories of autocratic, paternalistic, and democratic and this idea further developed
by Robert Tannenbaum and Warren H. Schmidt (1958, 1973).Robert Tannenbaum and Warren
H. Schmidt (1958, 1973) argued that the style of leadership is dependent upon the prevailing
circumstance; therefore leaders should exercise a range of management styles and should
deploy them as appropriate. So, Management Style can be defined as a characteristic ways of
making decisions and relating to subordinates in working place.
Based on modern idea of management style, the autocratic style of management is closely
related to traditional McGregor’s theory X and the democratic is related to Theory Y
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International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences
May 2013, Vol. 3, No. 5
ISSN: 2222-6990
management style. An autocratic management style is one where the manager makes decisions
unilaterally, and without much regard for subordinates and it will reflect the opinions and
personality of the manager, which in turn can project an image of a confident, well managed
business .The democratic style of manager allows the employees to take part in decisionmaking: therefore everything is agreed upon by the majority. The communication is extensive
in both directions from employees to leaders and it is vice-versa. As Psychological Contract
needs a sets of dynamics for the relationship and defines the detailed practicality of the work to
be done, we can conclude that Psychological Contract closely have relationship with Theory Y
management style.
In a nutshell, McGregor’s ideas suggest that there are two fundamental approaches to
managing people. Several managers used theory x, and generally get poor results. In order to
produce better performance and results and allows people to grow and develop,
knowledgeable managers use theory y. McGregor’s brainstorm relatively relate to modern
understanding of the Psychological Contract, which provides several ways to appreciate the
unhelpful nature of X-Theory leadership, and the useful constructive beneficial nature of YTheory leadership. It shows that Theory Y managers are the effective leaders who could fulfill
the psychological contract of employees.
4.0 Conclusion
Theory X-Y by McGregor is one of the easy ways to conduct people with natural rules, in daily
business which goes through pressure. The concept of McGregor says that there are two
fundamental approaches to managing people. Several managers influenced by theory x, and
generally get poor results. On the other hand, liberal managers use theory y, which produces
better performance and results, and allows people to grow and develop. Theory Y managers are
the effective leaders who could fulfill the psychological contract of employees. It’s believed that
mainly Theory Y management’s style is about psychological contract fulfillment and this area of
study is suggested for future research.
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank to my PhD advisor Dr Che Supian Mohamad Nor who worked hard to
design this paper
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